Although I had previously ranted on and on about how amazing Meteor Falls was, I had only really seen the cave system's interior once or twice.

   But even with so few memories, those I had were ingrained in me so deeply I couldn't possibly ever forget them. And how could I? With its perfectly preserved limestone rock formations and incredible underground rivers that contained water that was practically luminescent, it would be difficult for anyone to forget such a location.

Looking around the cave system now, these thoughts filled my mind to the brim, flooding me with nostalgia. There was a reason why I always used to come here to look for stones. Even if every step I took brought me closer to the city I dreaded returning to the most, I didn't regret coming back here.

So this is the place you named me after? Meteor asked. He poked at a crystalline pool with one of his claws and watched the resulting ripple with fascination. His eyes then narrowed in confusion, his reflection mirroring his limited expression. Seems kinda... bright, y'know? I'm not saying it was a bad choice or anything, don't get me wrong!

"When you asked me to nickname you, I was put on the spot," I replied. "Be grateful I didn't stutter and name you something we would have both regretted."

"For such a secluded-looking place, there don't seem to be too many Pokémon," Wallace commented. He wasn't lying, there was a surprising lack of Pokémon. I asked Meteor if he could use his senses to see what was up, and he agreed. I wasn't really worried, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Why're you complaining? Aren't you happy we're not up to our necks in Zubat?" Winona countered.

"It's more like Solrock and Lunatone," I corrected. They were duel Rock-Psychic-types that closely resembled the celestial bodies they were named after. I vividly remembered seeing a horde of the unique Pokémon during one of my trips inside the falls. They fit in perfectly with their chosen habit.

"Rocks, bats, they're all the same to me!" Winona sighed and crossed her arms.

You don't need to worry, Meteor reassured Wallace. I can sense other Pokémon, but they're way deeper in. If I were a wild Pokémon, I wouldn't wanna hang around near the entrance to my territory either.

"You see? If Meteor says things are fine, then they are. He wouldn't lie," I said. In spite of this, Wallace still didn't look satisfied with the information. With a quick glance at Winona, he leaned in close to me so only I could hear what he was about to say.

"Starmie said she picked up on some weird psychic signals a minute ago," he said, holding up her Poké Ball.

"She can actually communicate?" I asked, my eyebrows raising in surprise. For a Psychic-type, she was pretty quiet. Well, no more than Orbit, that much was obvious. Wallace seemed a tad insulted by my comment but seemed to realize I didn't intend it to come out that way.

"Not all the time. When she does, it's usually to me only. I guess she's shy." He looked at the Poké Ball that encapsulated her, frowning. "Maybe it's because she's an adept psychic, but she can sense and read a Pokémon's brain waves. She says it's like fine-tuning a radio. Anyways, she sensed other Pokémon like Meteor had, but their brain waves were off somehow."

"Off, how?" I asked.

"Jumbled, almost fractured. She couldn't describe it any better. I think it's a sign we need to be careful in here."

"It's not like we have a choice," I agreed.
We soon began walking again and the warning had seemingly been pushed to the side in favor of admiring the scenery. I told Meteor what I learned, and while he seemed mad that Starmie was apparently a better psychic than him, he took her words seriously, which I was grateful for.

   Wallace's comment had left me feeling on edge, unfortunately keeping me from enjoying the falls as much. I couldn't let information like that be nothing more than an off-hand precaution. No, I had to dwell on it. It quickly caused my nerves to be pulled taut, and worst-case scenarios began to take form in my mind. It was hard now not to take every negative emotion I felt towards something seriously since they could have something to do with a future event.

The worst part about this was that my increased stress was giving me a headache. At least, I was almost positive it was the product of stress. It was an irksome ache that jabbed at me from behind my eyes. It was irritating but nothing too painful.

"How long until we get out of here?" Wallace questioned after half an hour of walking.

"I don't know. I've never entered the falls through this side," I admitted. It wasn't like a PokéNav could help. Its mapping capabilities extended no farther than a general view of an area from the outside. "Ten, fifteen minutes possibly? If we keep following the main passage, I'm sure we'll find the exit eventually." I hope it'll take no longer than that, I added mentally.

Since then, my headache had increased in intensity exponentially, evolving from an annoyance into genuine discomfort. It was now a literal pain to focus on anything. I was wondering what was wrong when it came to mind that Meteor had been quiet for a while. I was about to check if he was okay when he asked:

Does anyone else's head hurt, or is it just me?

I was shocked and disheartened to hear pain in his voice. No, you're... not alone in this, I responded. It was difficult to form the words, much less get them out through telepathy. I looked at Wallace and Winona to see how they were doing, and they seemed perfectly fine. And while I was glad they weren't experiencing any pain, it made things more confusing. Why were Meteor and I the only ones affected by whatever was happening?

...?

Orbit's presence turned then to one of concern. I had grown used to having another psychic presence with me, and it was strange to feel this third extension of my conciousness express anything other than calmness.

We'll be fine, I told them, the phrase forming automatically. I chastised myself for saying this afterwards. Orbit saw through my lie and let themselves out of their ball.

!!!

A sound like a high-pitched keening shot through my mind, sounding like hundreds of nails screeching across a chalkboard. The noise elicited a pained scream of my own, and I was brought to my knees, trembling and weakly clutching my aching head. It took me a moment to come to the realization that the noise had come from Orbit. I had never heard them make any real noise, much less a scream, so it was more than a little jarring. It didn't seem like I wasn't alone in hearing Orbit's cry.

"Whoa! What the hell was that?" Wallace cried. "S-sorry for swearing, Winnie..." he apologized to his sister. His apology fell on deaf ears as she was holding her head.

"Ow, that really hurt," she whimpered.

...

Orbit seemed to be ashamed for crying out, and they turned to face the cave wall, their arms wrapped around themselves tightly. I had recovered enough from the scream to try to talk to them.

   Orbit, are you okay? I asked. They shook their head rapidly. I then asked them if they were in any pain, and they spun around to face me. As you heard before, Meteor and I are going through what you are, so don't be afraid. Their presence shifted, small hints of relief mixing with their pain and confusion. They were still hurting, but were relieved they weren't alone in this. It was a twisted feeling yet an understandable one.

"Why did Orbit scream like that? And why are they out—" Wallace stopped himself when he saw the state Meteor and I were in. "Oh Arceus, Steven, you look terrible. So do you, Meteor, what's wrong with you two?"

"No idea," I replied, numbly shaking my head. "We started getting headaches earlier, and they've gotten worse the deeper we go into the falls. You were right. There's something wrong here, without a doubt, and it has to do something with the Pokémon here."

   It was then I realized what was going on here, and I felt like a complete idiot. Why hadn't I thought of this before? Solrock and Lunatone were part Psychic. If there was anything wrong with them it would affect any other Psychic-type nearby like Meteor and Orbit. As for me, it would make sense that I would be more sensitive to anything psychic-related because of my prescience. I personally didn't like my theory, it made me feel like I was a Pokémon with a Psychic-type weakness.

"That's worrying," Wallace muttered to himself before saying, "Can you keep going?"

"We'll have to." I stood, stumbling a bit, and Meteor held my arm to support me. "I remember this section of the cave. If we keep going we'll enter an open cavern filled with waterfalls, and there is an exit not very far from there."

Why are we still talking? Let's hurry and get out of here! Meteor huffed.

"We'll be the ones hurrying to leave. You and Orbit are staying in your Poké Balls until we do so," I said, fishing their Poké Balls from my bag. Orbit was grateful to return to their safe haven while Meteor outright refused, hovering out of the capturing laser's reach.

No! I shouldn't be getting a free pass to escape the pain while you still have to deal with it! he objected.

"I know you're in more pain than I am, and I don't want you to suffer because of me. Return, Meteor," I said sternly. I could see the agonized glint his eyes bore. He actually looked like he was holding back tears, a fact that made my heart clench.

But—

"Please Meteor, return," I communed aloud and mentally, giving him one last desperate look. Whenever I did this, he knew I was serious. With a reluctant nod, he let himself be recalled. It's for your own good, you know that, I said.

The pain is gone, he admitted, sighing. Thanks, I guess.

I smiled softly. The 'thank you' is unnecessary. I just can't stand seeing you suffer.

—~*~—

Ten minutes later we were close to the central cavern, and there were no signs of any Solrock or Lunatone. Previously I had thought the lack of Pokémon was purely coincidental, but this was too strange.

   My mind tried to reason that there might have been a cave-in and Pokémon had gotten trapped, but my gut told me there was a more sinister reason for the Pokémons' absence. I couldn't afford to not trust my instincts, especially now. Pokémon forcefully grouped while being in pain immediately brought one thing to mind. If we got there and there still weren't any Pokémon, then I told myself that I needed to take action. And what I heard next proved my intuition right.

"Solrock, Psybeam."

The monotonously flat yet forceful tone was one I couldn't forget if I tried to. It bounced dully down the passage before fizzling out like a failed Spark. Winona recognized the tone, too, and clung to Wallace's arm fearfully.

"They're here, the Insurgents," I mouthed to him. He knew who they were. I had given him a detailed description of my past encounters with them after they had attacked Winona and me in Mauville, and he seemed to despise them more than I did despite never encountering them outside of Dewford.

"What should we do?" he asked. His gaze flitted from the Poké Balls attached to his belt to the tunnel ahead, and I hurriedly shook my head, wincing as the rapid movement temporarily intensified my headache. If we went in without a plan, they could easily outnumber us and we'd be more screwed than a Magnemite's bolts. But leaving the Pokémon to be controlled wasn't an option.

"Spy," I decided to say. It was all I could think to do. We cautiously walked to the end of the tunnel and hid in whatever shadows remained. Fearing what I would see, I looked into the central cavern.

The open space was brightly lit by cascading luminous waterfalls and was filled with a menagerie of people and Pokémon, each one as dead-eyed as the next. Four or so Insurgents were ordering the group of a dozen bangle and collar-clad Rock-Psychic-types to perform their different moves on random sections of the cave wall like they were showing them off, or testing them. The Pokémons' movements were as stiff as their "Trainers'."

Meteor always said the Pokémon screamed whenever they were under control, and it was no different here. The chorus of enslaved Psychic screamers were emitting screeches even I could hear. It was like hearing Orbit scream, except they were so excruciatingly loud that I had to make an effort to block out the screams or risk passing out from the agony it caused me. It's background noise, that's all, I thought. Background noise caused by the agony of living creatures. The thought made me sick.

Observing the group were three other people. Two of them were the men I recognized as Andrew and Liam. Liam's Gengar was next to him, and a Swellow—Tailow's evolution Winona had told me—perched on Andrew's shoulder. Between them, watching her loyal grunts with a cold smile playing on her lips, was Valerie. It was mildly confusing that she had a Pokémon other than her Sableye with her.

   She had a tall navy blue and white Pokémon standing motionless beside her, collar around its neck and bangles around its wrists. Or, him. That particular Pokémon was a popular one around here—a Gallade, the male evolution of Ralts. I only knew its name because I had seen Coordinators on TV use them all the time.

   This Gallade was different, however. He was a completely different color. Like Silvette, the Gallade was a Shiny. The dazzling prize of a Pokémon was wasted on being owned by Valerie. For all I knew she stole it from some unfortunate Trainer, and the thought was heartbreaking. Looking at the static-minded Pokémon, I felt nothing but pity for him. I turned my attention back to Valerie and her admins.

"It looks as if the tests are going better than expected. The WaveOrb control module is working wonders in the new models," Liam remarked.

"Better doesn't mean perfection, Liam," Andrew said. "They can always be improved. Why settle when you can always attain more?"

"Right you are, Andrew," Valerie praised. Andrew smirked at Liam, who scowled at the taller man's smug expression. Valerie's smile became gleeful. "This is going splendidly," she exclaimed happily over the din of breaking rock. "At this rate, we'll have an army large enough to seize anything we please! I'll finally get what I want, and nobody, Stone or otherwise, will be able to object."

"It has been a long sixteen years, hasn't it? This chance is overdue, my lady," Andrew agreed, smiling at his boss. He then smirked and winked at his blonde associate. Liam nodded stiffly in reluctant agreement while glaring daggers at Andrew but didn't say anything. It was like they were young schoolchildren competing for an upperclassman's approval. I'd had enough of their chilling conversation.

"Now what?" Wallace asked.

"I... I don't..." I struggled to reply, what Valerie had said running rampant through my mind. When I heard my surname being spoken, my heart plunged into my stomach, and I began shaking. What did she mean by "sixteen years ago?" Why was she talking about my family in that way?

Mistress, it seems we have an audience.

My mouth dropped open when I heard the mess of garbled syllables explode in my head. While they varied in pitch and speed, they were words without a doubt. I glanced into the cavern again and saw Gallade staring in our direction. He was still capable of cognitive thought?

"Really, Gallade? If you think so, find our uninvited guests so we can entertain them," Valerie said.

"We have to run!" I mouthed frantically. Less than a second later, Gallade appeared before us. He had teleported.

Found you, he slurred before lashing out with one of his bladed arms and seizing my shirt collar. I heard Wallace and Winona scream and figured Gallade had somehow grabbed both of them. I didn't have time to struggle before reality distorted sickeningly before my eyes as the puppet Pokémon teleported again. When my sight cleared, to my utter shock and horror, we were standing in front of Valerie.

"What a surprise, I didn't expect to see you here, dearie," Valerie cooed.

   Time seemed to slow in that moment, Valerie smiling at me, her Gallade staring with a triumphant glint in his eyes. Run, my instincts demanded. I didn't move a muscle, frozen in place by shock. Why aren't you moving? Run, you idiot! they screamed, yet I continued to stand there like a Deerling caught in the headlights. None of us did anything before Valerie spoke again.

"Don't even think about it, dearie. You're not going anywhere," Valerie said. "Grab them."

   As the command left her mouth, everything sped up, going too fast. Someone grabbed me and pinned my arms behind my back. I didn't need to look at Wallace or Winona to know they had also been restrained; Winona's frightened cries were more than enough evidence. I probably would have been acting the same way if I hadn't been too petrified to talk. Looking over my shoulder revealed my captor to be one of the men who had been controlling the captured Solrock and Lunatone. We were like those poor Pokémon now—captured.

"And to make extra sure you won't slip away from me this time... Gallade, seize their Pokémon," Valerie added.

"What? No!" I cried, finally finding my voice. Gallade's purple irises glowed a dull pink, and all of our Poké Balls teleported from our bags and belts into the air above Gallade's hand. A pink aura interlaced with streaks of purple surrounded the mass of spherical devices, trapping them.

When the ensnaring barrier went up, it felt like two distinct portions of my psyche were ripped away. These two portions were, of course, Meteor's and Orbit's presences. The aura had disrupted their psychic influence, effectively blocking them from my conciousness. Having them so abruptly removed left my remaining thoughts scrambled, trying to fill in what had been lost, and I felt disoriented because of it.

   Through the momentary confusion, one thought rang loud and clear. They took Meteor. I had promised myself that Valerie wouldn't do anything to him. The droplets I despised more than anything else pricked at the corners of my eyes, taunting me with their presence.

"I remember you, young man." Andrew pointed at Wallace. "You're the one who initially interrupted our plans in Dewford with your little Mudkip. I hope you got rid of that thing, owning a Mudkip fell out of style years ago."

Wallace looked Andrew up and down, taking note of his height. "So did the whole 'stick figure' look. I bet you can see Sootopolis from up there, huh?" he countered, flaunting his apparent lack of fear in spite of the intimidated look his sea-green eyes held. I didn't know how he could act so brave in the face of such literal evil. Andrew scowled at Wallace, muttering "smart-ass brat" under his breath and nothing else.

"You feel so lost with your precious Metang, don't you?" Valerie smiled at me mockingly. "And from what my Gallade sensed, you also caught that Baltoy." Her lips pursed with distaste. "Heaven knows why you would bother with it. Useless hunk of clay can't support a team to save its life."

How did she know what kind of moves Orbit knew? "What do you mean?" I chanced asking. She reached into the aura barrier and removed Orbit's Poké Ball. She then, to my astonishment, let them out.

   Orbit, use Psybeam on Gallade! I commanded, more than happy to take the chance to escape Valerie was seemingly so grateful to grant. But... nothing happened, Orbit didn't react. When the little Pokémon was released, they immediately covered their face with their arms and cowered at Valerie's feet. Why weren't they moving?

   It was when Orbit's presence fully returned to me did I realize that they were absolutely terrified... terrified of Valerie. My heart sank as Valerie began to laugh.

"Believe it or not, dearie, once upon a time that Baltoy belonged to me! It was one of the first Pokémon to have our obedience collars tested on. Unfortunately the collars didn't react so well with Psychic-types at the time, and the device malfunctioned horribly. As a result, the poor thing was left mute because of the side effects. A Psychic-type that is incapable of communicating with its Trainer has no place on my team, so being the merciful woman I am, I... released it."

"Y-you sick monster..." I muttered, my voice curdling with a mixture of revulsion and anger. Looking at the trembling Orbit and hearing Valerie's story filled in the blank spaces regarding the circumstances of our first encounter. She hadn't released Orbit, she had had abandoned them, left them to die in the forest with the injuries from their last battle, ones she might have inflicted herself out of pure maliciousness.

Valerie waved her hand dismissively. "I call it... choice selection," she stated matter-of-factly. "The weak harbor the weak and the strong do likewise, that is how the world works now. And those with potential to be strong can have that potential squandered. Your Metang is a perfect example of this. You had a chance to make it strong when it was a Beldum. Unfortunately, you seem to have ruined it. Your own weakness poisoned it."

In conversations, there was a line that was not to be crossed. Sensitive subjects and feelings towards others drew the line clearly. Taunting me was one thing, insulting Orbit was another, but calling Meteor worthless was taking it a mile over the line. Anger flowed up from an untapped well within me, and I gladly sampled its burning waters.

   "Don't you dare speak of my partner that way!" I yelled. No one insults Meteor! I struggled to pull away from the man holding me—to do what, I had no clue—but his strength far outmatched mine.

"Aw, you're so adorable when you're angry!" Valerie laughed, locking her overly gleeful gaze with my hatred-filled one. "I guess I struck a nerve?" She strode over to me and reached out. My anger instantly dissolved, and fear rudely took its place. I flinched back at the thought that she was going to slap me like she had last time. It was painful then, and I didn't want a repeat of those day's events.

"Leave Steven alone!" Winona cried. She then gasped, realizing all too late the mistake she had made. Valerie smiled appreciatively at the young Trainer, then directed a much more sinister leer at me.

"So your name is Steven?" she asked. "Such a charming name. It makes me wonder why you refused to give me this information before, Steven dearie." Hearing her new pet name for me was sickening. It was so forced yet sounded almost loving in a way.

Orbit, do something. Please help me! I begged my Baltoy. Still paralyzed by fear, they did nothing as Valerie lightly took hold of my chin and lifted my face up so my eyes were looking directly into hers. Both their fear and mine swirled together into a vile mixture that burned the back of my throat, or perhaps it was just the bile that had begun rising in me from a prolonged feeling of anxious queasiness.

Valerie examined my face like a specimen under the microscope of an insane researcher, taking in every detail and disturbing me to no end. "The look in your eyes... it was so indignant, so defiant! So... familiar." She paused. "Your eyes are so familiar." Her words came slowly, muddled by confusion.

"My lady?" Liam asked hesitantly after a moment, concern painting his face pale. "My Lady Valerie, is something troubling you?"

Valerie didn't answer him, seeming to be working through something in her head. "I knew there was something about you. The moment I first saw you, you reminded me of him."

"Lady Valerie?" Andrew questioned to no avail. Meanwhile, Valerie's expression began to change. It was no longer one of confusion but one of triumphant recognition.

"And your eyes. That shade of blue, that shape... I could never forget those eyes." She grinned wickedly, her own eyes shining with maddening glee. "Your eyes... they're hers! And your appearance is just. Like. His!" She brought her face dangerously close to mine, and my heart rate rose in a terrifying crescendo. She was so close. Then, tilting her head to the side, in a voice bearing the sinister and cruel innocence of a girl plucking the wings from a Beautifly, she asked, "Tell me, Steven dearie, do the names Carol and Joseph Stone mean anything to you?"

At those words, my heart plummeted. Everything around me seemed to go silent, save for the loud pounding in my still-aching head.

"You don't need to reply, I already know the answer," Valerie said knowingly.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" I exclaimed, trying to deflect her masked accusation.

"Everything went to hell nearly two decades ago," Valerie said coldly, ignoring me. Her mind was made up. "What does that make you? Fifteen, sixteen at the oldest? How could I have not known from the start? You look just like your father." Never had I heard that phrase spoken with so much undiluted hatred.

Everything went to hell nearly two decades ago. The story of my grandfather's and great-grandfather's demises suddenly came to mind along with Andrew's previous statement in Granite Cave. These people were the ones responsible for that, they were the ones who had rebelled all those years ago. Their organization name made sense now. They were the Insurgents—the mutineers. But what did this mean for me? Was Valerie going to try to kill me? While insane, the notion didn't stop the tidal wave of dread and terror that consumed every part of me.

"No, you've mistaken me for someone else!" I objected, again struggling against the man holding me. I was fully panicking now and desperate to break free, lest I suffer a fate like that of my relatives.

"If you're not who I think you are, why are you trying to get away?" Valerie said, smiling.

Acting on some deep-rooted sense of self-preservation, in a last-ditch effort to escape I kicked my leg backwards with every bit of strength I had, hoping to distract the man and make him let go. The solid sole of my boot connected with some part of the man's leg that was unknown to me, but the hardly audible crunch and his gasp of pain was all the information I needed. I felt his hold loosen, and I flung myself away from him. Orbit, help me! I begged frantically.

!!

Orbit finally reacted to my pleas, startled realization overcoming their petrified state. Turning on Valerie, they loosed a Psybeam on the woman, knocking her over.

Mistress! Valerie's Gallade exclaimed when he saw his Trainer fall to the ground. Distracted, he turned to face her. That was all I needed. I took this opportunity to knock the dual-type's hand away, resulting in the barrier around all of our Poké Balls being broken. Normal, Great, Ultra, and a single Quick Ball clattered to the floor of the cave. One by one each of our Pokémon let themselves out.

"Use whatever moves you see best fit to take those Pokémon down!" I commanded my team. They all responded with lighting quick speed, throwing punches, blasts of psychic energy, and whatever other attacks they had at Andrew and Liam's Pokémon.

   Wallace and Winona joined in the attack by ordering their teams to attack the group of puppet Solrock and Lunatone. The unified assault resulted in Pokémon, both puppet and free, being flung into walls and rivers, countless rocks breaking, and a cacophony of wild screeches so loud it felt like my ears were bleeding. It was complete and utter chaos.

I never thought you had so much fight in you, Meteor complimented me as he dished out some much-needed revenge to Liam's Gengar.

Neither had I, I thought in wonderment. Ever silent but managing to convey just as much, Orbit's presence reflected Meteor's sentiment. Wallace and Winona soon found their way to my side.

"What should we do?" Winona asked frantically, her eyes wide as she took in the raging battle around us.

"We return our Pokémon and run!" I answered. The pandemonium was enough to keep the Insurgents distracted and would allow us to flee. I handed the others their Poké Balls and we began recalling them as quickly as the capturing beams could harness them.

I was returning Maverick when something unprecedented happened. From her spot on the ground, Valerie's hand lashed out and she took hold of my ankle. "Oh no, you're not going anywhere!" she yelled. "I'm not letting you get away, not when you remind me so much of him!" I swallowed a yell of agony and tried to pull away.

I then did something I regretted instantly. I screamed at her to let me go, and with all my strength, I kicked her in the side. For the second time that day I heard the crunch of bone from beneath my foot as I lashed out at Valerie. Her blood-curdling scream caused a wave of nausea to knot my stomach, and it was a struggle to keep its acidic contents down. She released me as she clutched her lower chest. From the look of it, I had either broken or fractured a few of her ribs.

As soon as I felt myself slip free, I ran. Meteor's yells and my friends' voices were faint static. I was horrified at what I had done. Nothing mattered anymore except escape. Behind me I could hear Valerie screaming, "I did it all for him! It was all for him!"

I ran like I had when I fled Rustboro, blindly and with guilt stabbing at me like a Twineedle attack. I unintentionally left my friends in the dust and exited the falls without them. The stifling cave air gave way to the sea-salt air of Route 115, and I didn't think I'd be so happy to leave the falls.

Eventually I found myself in a small thicket of trees along the path connecting the falls to Rustboro. I dimly remembered resting in the trees' shade when the sun would get too unbearable while I would excavate stones.

Shrouded by brush, I collapsed to my knees and vomited up everything my churning stomach contained. I was so disgusted with myself. I had never hurt someone like that before. I hopelessly tried to tell myself that I wasn't completely aware when I did it, but that was a lie. I knew what I was doing, and I went through with it regardless. Valerie was utterly mad, but she was a person, she was still human. Doing that, I was no better than her.

   The sound of her ribs breaking played on repeat in my head, bringing up another surge of bile. Along with the sickness came tears that ran like open taps down my flushed cheeks. I didn't know I had been tearing up until I began crying. Never had I been so afraid of anything in my life. Valerie knows who I am, she knows, oh Arceus no! I buried my face in my hands, still sobbing.

Now that I was no longer moving, my Pokémon were able to let themselves out without any hassle. None of them moved or said anything. Even Meteor was at a loss for words for once. Orbit silently hovered next to me, Silvette rested her head on my leg, and Maverick watched me concernedly. Everything was in state of total numbness. In the distance, I heard Wallace and Winona calling my name, asking where I was. I could tell Meteor was about to call out to them.

Please don't do it. Please don't tell them, I begged him.

And what? he asked gently. Let them be separated from you? Ignoring my pathetic objections, he communed with them and told them where we were. They rushed over and froze in their tracks in stunned silence. I knew they were staring. I could feel their gazes on me, and I wanted nothing more to vanish from existence at that moment. To them I probably looked pathetically wretched, kneeling on the ground in front of a puddle of my own vomit and crying my eyes out like a terrified child.

"Steven?" Winona spoke my name uncertainly and quietly, as if a louder tone would cause me to shatter like a crystal glass.

"Why didn't he tell me?" I whimpered to no one in particular. "Why didn't Dad ever tell me the entire story?"

"The entire story of what?" Wallace asked. This wasn't something I was going to keep to myself. Through my tears I told them what Dad had told me about the attack and the murders, the incomplete version.

"I now know who did it," I said after I finished explaining. "The Insurgents were really the ones responsible for everything." I shook my head. "But they never fully accomplished their goal. And now... she probably wants to finish what she'd started. Valerie wants to murder my parents." Did Mom and Dad know that Valerie was still around?!

That was why he never let you go outside. The realization hit me like a punch to the stomach, and I covered my mouth to choke back a sob. I'm so sorry, Dad! The silent apology was more than earnest.

   All of my animosity towards Dad was misplaced. His choice to shut me in now had a reason. My existence was a literal death sentence if it had gotten out to the public, and he knew it. He wasn't hiding me so I couldn't have a life of my own, he was trying to protect me from what hidden dangers that possible life held.

   Although what he had done wasn't right, he was doing it for a good reason. The night of the party he had probably made all of his employees swear to never tell anyone else that he had a son. And by leaving, I ruined it. I let Valerie figure out who I was, and I had left Dad and Mom alone to worry. For all I knew, they thought I was dead.

"I'm going home," I then said, my sadness beginning to ebb away. "I need to let my parents know I'm okay." I wouldn't allow myself the choice to not tell them. If I didn't, the guilt would kill me faster than Valerie ever could.

"Won't your dad be mad at you if you go home?" Winona asked.

"I don't care anymore. I need to reassure them that I am alive," I repeated. Reassure them, and hear the entire story. And if I could, convince Dad that I wanted to continue traveling. I was no match for Valerie, but if I kept training I could stand a chance against her. Both my team, and myself.

What about us? Meteor's voice asked almost timidly. I turned to face him and he was staring at me sorrowfully. It wasn't just him, all of my teammates were. What if your father takes us away—takes me away? He said this last part in a whisper. I could sense his sadness, and it broke my heart.

"Then I'll do what I did previously," I said. "I'll run away again. I would die before I would let us be separated, Meteor. Without any of you, I don't know where I would be." I directed this at my other Pokémon. Yes, run like the coward you are, my mind taunted. No, I wasn't going to think like that any longer. I shoved the thought down and got to my feet, swaying on unsteady legs. I felt weak, but determination held me steady. "May we stay for a night in Rustboro?" I asked Wallace.

"If you're so sure, I guess we can," he said. "What if Winnie turns out to be right, and your father tries to force you to stay home?"

"You don't have any reason to worry." I looked around at everyone and smiled confidently. "I'll be leaving Rustboro with all of you, no matter what."